Wagon-body.



PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

- 0. w. BEHRENS. WAGON BODY.

APPLICATION FILE PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903. O. W. BBHRENS.

WAGON BODY.

APPLIGATIOR FILED nno. 29,1902.

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- 1 If :5 a I F1. H |I H PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.;

1. w. BBHRENS.

WAGON BODY. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 39, 1902.

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ATENT CHARLES BEHRENS, OF LANOASTEFLOHIO, ASSlGNOR TO TI-IE iBEHRENS COMBINATION' WAGON BED COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, OHIO, A COR- PORATION OF OHIO.

WAGON-BODY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,534, dated June 23, 1903. Application filed December 29. 1902. Serial No. 136,993. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. BEHRENS, a citizen ofthe United States of America, and a resident of Lancaster, in the county of Fairfield and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon- Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby a single wagon-body may be used with a flat bottom for the purposes for which a flat-bottom wagon are commonly employed or with a hopper-bottom for use as a dump-wagon in hauling soil, manure, (be.

The accepted construction of wagon run.- ning-gear necessitates that a hopper-bottom when used be raised to about the level of the bottom of the wagon-body, and the conditions under which a flat-bottom wagon is used require that the level of the bottom be kept as low as possible and that the ability to convert it into a dump-wagon must not interfere to any extent with the use of the Wagon withflat bottom either by decreasing its capacity or increasing its weight.

For the purpose of accomplishing the change above indicated and to meet the conditions above named my invention comprises a wagon-body of proper construction having a removable flat bottom and a removable hopper-bottom interchangeable with each other, the dump-bottom consisting of a dum p-section and two end sections, which may be and by preference are also end sections of the flat bottom,the dump-section being provided with means for suspending it from the wagon-body between the end sections, which are adapted to be inclined to discharge the contents of the wagon-body through the dump-section when the bottom thereof is opened.

I also provide an improved means for closing and holding closed the gates of the dumpseotion; and. my invention further consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, whereby I am enabled to remove from the wagon-body when used with a fiat bottom all those parts not essential or desirable for such use.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding marks of reference, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a convertible wagonbody mounted on running-gear as it appears with its hopper-bottom. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the removable dump-section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body-shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section on line in 00 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the body as it appears with a flat bottom. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the removable cross-rests for the end sections of the hopper-bottom. Fig. 7 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a form. of my invention in which the dump-section is longitudinally carried in the Wagon instead of transversely, as in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 90 00 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional section on lines m m of Figs. 7 and S. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a cheek-plate used in connection with the removable longitudinal dumpsection of Figs. 7, 8, and 9; and Figs. 11 and 12 are detailed views showing my preferred construction of the side st'anchions and eyes thereon.

The wagon-body consists of the main sideboards 1, the extension end-gate 2, the front gate 3, and the rear end-gate 4, the two latter being similar in construction. The sideboards rest upon the cross-bars 5, the ends of which receive metal stanchions 6, extending up on the inside of the side-boards and having their ends projecting outwardly therefrom at the top and bottom in the form of eyes 6. The rear one of the end cross-bars 5 has an eyed bracket 7 on its center to receive the lower end of a cleat 8, secured to the extension end-gate 2,which may be locked down by a split cotter-pin 0. Upper sideboards 10 are adapted to be carried above the main side-boards 1 by means of standards 11, fastened to the upper boards-and having their lower ends adapted to be inserted'in the eyes 6 of the stanchions G, by which means the upper side boards will be remo'vably secured in position. Their presence on the wagon-body is desirable both when used with a flat bottom and with a hopper-bottom, although they may be removed, if desired.

The end-gates 3 and 4: are, as stated, similar in construction, and each is vertically movable in a slideway 12, formed on the sideboards 1 and 10. A lever 13 is pivoted on each end-gate 3 and 4 and has hinged thereto on each side of its pivotal point a link 14, having its free end terminating in a hook 14, adapted to engage an eye 15 on the corresponding side-board 10. One end of the lever 13 is prolonged to form a handle and bent into a hook 13, adapted when the hooked ends of the links have been inserted in the eyes and the sides drawn together by a sweep of the lever to be caught under one of the links and to be thus held. As the gate 4 is located some distance in front of the extension end-gate 2, the boot 16 left between the two may be used to advantage when shoveling from the wagon when the latter is used with a flat bottom in haulinggrain, &c., the gate 4 being partly raised to permit the passage of the grain to the boot.

The flat bottom of the wagon is removable and rests upon the cross-bars 5, being by preference composed of three sections, as shown in Fig. 5viz., two end sections 17 and a central section 18. The inner ends of the end sections are chamfered and lie above the corresponding chamfered ends of the middle section, so that the whole bottom may be held down by pins 19, passing through cleats 20 on the bottom of the inner ends of the end sections and into the middle cross-bars 5.

Connected and assembled as above described with the Hat bottom the wagon is adapted for all the uses to which such a body is generally employed, and at the same time it may be readily converted to a dump-body by removing the central bottom section 18 and replacing it by a dump-section 21 and replacing the flat end sections by slanting end sections.

As stated, I prefer to use the same end sections 17 both with the flat bottom and with the hopper-bottom, and this I accomplish by providing cross-rests 22 near each end of the wagon-body, having metal hooked ears 23 on their ends, adapted to extend over the upper edges of the side-boards 1, which may be notched, as at 24, to properly position the rests. The cleats 25 on the bottom of the outer ends of the end sections 17 rest on these rests, While the cleats 20 at the inner and lower ends of the end sections rest on the two middle cross-bars 5, whereby the end sections are supported. The bottom end sections 17 are thus adjustable. I also provide the dumpsection 21, consisting of the cross-beam 26, having hinged on each side thereof the dumpgates 27, and removably hang it between the slanting end sections 17 by means of end hangers 28, provided at their upper ends with hooked ears 29, resting upon the upper edges of the lower side-boards,which may be notched at to properly position the dump-section. As it is desirable to hang the dump-sections as low as permitted by the running-gear of the wagon, which brings the lower edges of the gates below the lower edges of the side bars, cheek-pieces 31 are provided, preferably of'sheet metal, which are fastened to the end of the beam 26 and extending below the sideboards form a down ward extension thereof. As shown in Fig. 2, the hinged joints between the beam 26 and the gates 27 are protected by the metal shields 32 and are formed by metal straps 33, secured to the under surface of each gate and each strap having its one end bent in the form of a hook through an eye on the end of a strap 34 on the under surface of the cross-beam 26, the opposite ends of the straps 33 projecting beyond the lower edges of the gates, and by abutting against the lower edges of the end pieces 17 limiting the upward movement of the gates.

An operating-shaft 35 projects upwardly through the center of the cross-beam 26 and is provided at its upper end with the crankhandle 36, the lower end of the shaft being below the beam, having rigidly attached thereto the cross-head 37, which holds the gates closed, a collar 38 being fastened upon the shaft above the beam and bearing upon the upper surface of the latter. The central portion of the lower faces of the gates have wearing-plates 39, provided with stop-lugs 40, secured thereto, and when the shaft is so turned as to cause the cross-head to lie across the beam 26 the cross-head is located below the gates and holds them up to close the bottom of the wagon. By turning the shaft the cross-head may be brought parallel with the cross-beam and below it, so that the gates will drop to discharge the load, and the crosshead may again be turned at right angles to the beam, when it will by running under the gates throw them up.

It will be noted that the dump-section, with its gates and operating means therefor, is self-contained and may as awhole be readily -removed from and replaced in the wagonbody and that the side-boards are held from spreading both by the hooked ears on the cross-rests and cross-beams and the described construction of the fastener for the end-gate.

In Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 101 have shown a modified form of my invention, in which the dumpsection is longitudinally supported in the wagon-body. When used with a fiat bottom, the wagon-body is similar to the form before described; but when it is desired to use the hopper-bottom the two central cross-bars 5 are removed and supplemental cross-rests 22 are hung between the side-boards in the lower ends of the hooked ears 23, the upper ends of which are caught over the upper edge of the side-boards 1, the rests 22 serving as rests for the lower ends of the end sections 17 of the bottom. The beam 26 of the removable dump-section is provided with hooks 28 upon its opposite ends, which rest upon the 731,58t Lia central portions of the opposite supplemental rests 22, and carries upon each end a checkpiece 31, preferably made of metal and having side flanges 41, inclined inwardly and downwardly, and to the flanges at correspon d1 ing ends of the two oppositely-disposed cheekpieces a longitudinal deflecting-board 42 is secured, a deflecting-board being thusloca-ted on each side of the gates 27, hingedtothe beam 26. As in this construction the gates have a considerable length, itis advisable to make them in two pairs and to use a separate shaft and crossbeam, such as before described, for each pair, and I have therefore shown two shafts in Figs. 7 and 8.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have shown my preferred method of constructing the eyes 6 upon the stanchion 6. As shown therein, the cross-bar 5 has secured to its end a metal cap forming the eyes 6, over which the apertured lower end of stanchion 6 is slipped, the stanchion having a flange 6struck up therefrom around its aperture, through which flange and cap and cross-bar a bolt 6 is passed to hold the plates together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a convertible flat and dump bottom Wagon, the combination with a wagon-body, of a removable dump-section having pivoted gates,which when the d limp-section is in place in the wagon-body form a part of the bottom thereof, substantially as described.

2. A Wagon-body having its bottom consisting of a removable dump-section and adjustable end sections, substantially as described.

3. In a wagon-body, the combination with side-boards,of a removable dump-section having a pivoted gate in thebottom of the body and actuating means for the dump-gate carried by the dump-section, substantially as described.

4. In a wagon-body, the combination with side-boards, of a bottom consisting of adjnstable end sections, and a removable dumpsection with a pivoted gate, and operating means for the gate of the dump-section carried by the dump-section, substantially as described.

5. In a convertible flat and dump bottom Wagon, the combination with the wagon-body, of a dump-section having pivoted bottom gates removably hung in the body, substantially'as described.

6. In a convertible flat-bottom wagon, the combination with the wagon-bodyhavin g sideboards, of a dump-section having pivoted bottom gates removably hung in the wagon-body from the side boards, substantially as described.

'7. In a Wagon-body, the combination with side-boards, of a bottom consisting of ad 3' ustable end sections, removable cross-rests for supporting the end sections, and a removable dump-section, consisting of a beam havinga gate hinged thereto and provided with supporting-hangers upon its ends adapted to engage-the wagon-body, and operating mechanism for the gate carried by the beam and removable from the wagon-body therewith, substantially as described.

8. A dump-section of a wagon-body, consisting of a central beam having supportinghangers upon its ends, and having a gate hinged thereto, and operating means for the gate carried by the beam, substantially as described.

9. A dump-section of a wagon-body, consisting of a central beam having supportinghangers upon its ends, and havinggates hinged thereto, and operating means for the gates comprising a vertical shaft carried by the beam and a cross-head upon the shaft below the gates, substantially as described.

10. Ina dump-wagon, the combination with a central beam, and gates hinged thereto on opposite sides, of a vertical shaft, and a crosshead carried by the shaft below the gates and adapted to operate thereon, substantially as described.

11. In a du mpwagon, the combination with a central beam, and gates hinged thereto 011 opposite sides, of a vertical shaft extending through and carried by the beam and a crosshead on the shaft beneath the beam to lift and retain the gates, substantially as described.

12. Inadump-wagon,tl1e combination with a beam, having eyed straps thereon, of a gate having straps provided at one end with hooks engaging the eyes on the strap on the beam, the opposite ends of the straps projecting to form limit-stops for the gate, substantially as described.

13. In a dump-wagon, the combination with a beam, provided with means for detachably securing it in place, of cheek-plates at the end of the beam, a gate hinged to the beam, and operating means for the gate carried upon the beam, substantially as described.

14. In a dump-wagon, the combination with a wagon-body consisting of side-boards and cross-bars, of cross-rests provided with means for removably hanging them in the Wagonbody from the sideboarde, bottom end sections adapted to be supported on the crossbars and cross-rests, and a removable hopper-section, consisting of a beam provided with means for removably hanging it from the side-boards, and having end cheek-plates and gates, and operating means for the gates carried upon the beam, substantially as described. I

15. In a dumpwagon, the combination with side-boards having eyes therein, and crossbeams, of end-gates, a lever pivoted to each end-gate, links hinged to each of the levers on oppositesides of their pivotal points, and having hooks to engage the eyes on the sideboards, a hook upon each of the levers adapted to engage one of the corresponding links,

whereby the side-boards may be drawn toplates and-gates and operating means for-the gether, cross-rests provided with means for regates, substantially as described. 10 movably hanging" them from the side-boards, Signed by me at Lancaster, Ohio, this 21st bottom end sections adapted to be supported day of October, 1902.

on the cross-beams and cross-rests, and a re- CHAS. W. BEHRENS. movable hopper-section, consisting of a, beam \Vitnesses:

provided with means for l'emovably hanging JOHN F. KOUPLER,

it from the Sideboards, and having end cheek- 1 G. N. CLOVER. 

